I’m posting these March 2020 Star Wars comics solicitations a few days late because these kind of snuck up on me, though I’m not quite sure how, between a couple comic issues, a new The Mandalorian, and some little film called The Rise of Skywalker all coming out really, really close to one another; I won’t let it happen again, though (until maybe 2022 when the next film comes out). March will see the release of TROS‘ novelization and the end of the already epic The Rise of Kylo Ren mini, fitting if you’ve seen the film, while we’re set to be introduced to a new series called Bounty Hunters, while the third volume of Darth Vader might find him running into a surviving handmaiden of a certain important woman from his past. Read on to find out what’s all ahead!
MARVEL
The Rise of Kylo Ren #4 (on sale 3/11/20)
Charles Soule (Writer), Will Sliney (Artist)
Cover by E.M. Gist | Variant Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli
SINS OF THE SON
- The Rise of KYLO REN concludes, as BEN SOLO, once the Jedi’s greatest hope, is swallowed by the Dark Side.
- It is his destiny – and if there was ever another path, SNOKE and the KNIGHTS OF REN made certain he could not see it.
- From Ben, to Ren… and now he is lost.
As I mentioned in the opening, it’s really fitting the finale to The Rise of Kylo Ren will drop only a week after The Rise of Skywalker novelization hits store shelves; two parts of his story coming to an end in the same month. It’s going to be interesting to review issues 2-4 now that the film is out, as issue #1 was rather stunning and intriguing on its own, but considering what all happens in TROS, I’ll be watching this series with even more interest now.
Star Wars #4 (on sale 3/18/20)
Charles Soule (Writer), Jesus Saiz (Artist)
Covers by R.B. Silva | Empire Strikes Back Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | Variant Cover by Daniel Acuña
CATASTROPHE IN THE CLOUDS!
- LUKE SKYWALKER, LANDO CALRISSIAN and LEIA ORGANA have returned to CLOUD CITY! They each left things on BESPIN they desperately need – a weapon, a friend, and crucial information.
- But the city is swarming with IMPERIALS, under occupation by an EMPIRE desperate to steal its resources.
- Things did not go well for the trio the last time they visited this place. This time… might be even worse.
It seems a little funny and weird that we’re going back to Cloud City so soon, but this sounds like a helluva an adventure, especially if the cover can believed and it sees Leia put into carbonite too! I’m still holding out hope/bets that Luke’s quest for his saber could mean the series occasionally has little codas that contain the saber’s adventures into Maz Kanata’s waiting hands, considering we know he’ll be unsuccessful here. And more Lando/Lobot content, from the guy who wrote their tragic past into canon, please and thank you!
Darth Vader #2 (on sale 3/11/20)
Greg Pak (Writer), Raffaele Ienco (Artist)
Cover by Inhyuk Lee | Variant Cover by Raffaele Ienco | Empire Strikes Back Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse
THE FACE OF THE QUEEN!
- In the wake of the shocking revelations of The Empire Strikes Back, DARTH VADER continues his quest for revenge against everyone who hid his son Luke from him.
- But when his search takes him deep into his past, he uncovers a hauntingly familiar face that will challenge everything he knows.
Wait, wait, wait…is that one of Padmé’s handmaidens on the cover?!? Is Vader going to have a run-in with one of the surviving women who protected his wife? From the cover, she looks more like Padmé did some 23 years prior in Revenge of the Sith, so how/why does she look that young, or is that just for the cover and the one he meets in the issue has aged appropriately? And most importantly, is this a handmaiden we’ve met, like the myriad of ones in Queen’s Shadow? I’m still not 100% sold on needing another Darth Vader volume, but this has definitely caught my interest.
Bounty Hunters #1 (on sale 3/4/20)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Paolo Villanelli (Artist)
Cover by Lee Bermejo | Variant Cover by Michael Golden | Variant Cover by Dave Johnson | Variant Cover by Kaare Andrews | Movie Variant Cover also available | Blank Variant Cover also available
NEVER BETRAY A BOUNTY HUNTER – ESPECIALLY IF IT’S BOBA FETT!
Years ago, VALANCE and fellow bounty hunters BOSSK and BOBA FETT took on a mission that went sideways in a bad way after Valance’s mentor, NAKANO LASH, violently betrayed them. Valance’s team barely escaped with their lives. He never thought he’d face his old mentor ever again…until Lash finally resurfaces under mysterious circumstances. Every bounty hunter in the galaxy wants a piece and Valance is hell-bent on getting to the prize first. He has score to settle—but so does Boba Fett!
ETHAN SACKS (OLD MAN HAWKEYE and GALAXY’S EDGE) and PAOLO VILLANELLI (VADER: DARK VISIONS and JEDI FALLEN ORDER – DARK TEMPLE) are teaming up to bring you the bounty hunter adventure you’ve been waiting for this March!
Bounty Hunters #2 (on sale 3/25/20)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Paolo Villanelli (Artist)
Cover by Lee Bermejo | Variant Cover by Phil Noto | Empire Strikes Back Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse
BOUNTY HUNTERS DRAW FIRST BLOOD!
- Cyborg bounty hunter VALANCE will stop at nothing to find his old mentor, NAKANO LASH, after her stinging betrayal years earlier.
- But other bounty hunters have taken the job after a vicious crime lord put out the hit. Everyone’s got a reason to go after the traitorous Nautolan.
- BOSSK, BOBA FETT and a slew of new killers are hot on Lash’s trail. Can Valance get to her first? And what could have possibly made Lash break her word and betray her fellow hunters? The truth could shake the foundations of the criminal underworld in the galaxy!
My interest in Beilert Valance hasn’t been sparked yet by canon, despite his time in Han Solo – Imperial Cadet and Target Vader, and the announcement of this Bounty Hunters series doesn’t look to change that any time soon. While more Boba Fett and Bossk could help this series gain my interest, it’s hard not to feel like this will just be a bunch of male bounty hunters doing cool male bounty hunter things, especially thanks to the…aggressive covers, as this tacks on another male-led series for Marvel’s 2020 output, with the Star Wars series at least having Leia at the forefront, but it’s simply not enough at this point. The only glimmer of hope and interest I have for Bounty Hunters comes in the form of Nakano Lash, a female Nautolan, whose potential underworld shattering secret has me intrigued. If you’re excited and interested in this series, don’t let my underwhelmed response dampen your feelings…this just might not be for me.
IDW
Star Wars Adventures #32
Michael Moreci, Cavan Scott (Writers), Arianna Florean, David M. Buisán (Artist)
Cover A by Arianna Florean | Cover B by David M. Buisán
Learn more about the heroes and villains of The Rise of Skywalker! In this issue, the spotlight falls on Finn!
- Includes a special installment of “Tales from Wildspace,” where the crew of the Star Herald swing into action themselves!
Might we officially get to hear what Finn was going to say to Rey in The Rise of Skywalker? Post seeing the film, these three issues just got more interesting to me. The past three A covers of Kylo, Rey, and Finn actually connect, by the way.
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
2020 Comic Solicitations: January | February